Business
Colombo stocks fall 85 points as Brent crude tops $113
ASPI lost 0.38% to close at 22,549 on Thursday with capital goods leading turnover; regional markets also down on extended Iran blockade.
Business
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Business
DFCC Bank Partners with Dubai's AlfaNow to Expand UAE Remittance Corridor
DFCC Bank has tied up with Dubai-based AlfaNow to speed up UAE-to-Sri Lanka transfers as remittances rose 17.5% to $815mn in March.
Business
HSBC Ends Consumer Banking in Sri Lanka, 200,000 Accounts Move to NTB
HSBC's retail business closes today after CBSL-approved sale to Nations Trust Bank, ending decades of consumer banking presence.
Business
Sri Lanka's rooftop solar at a crossroads as tariff hikes drive uptake — former CEB GM
Net metering, accounting and net plus underpin the shift, but transformer capacity and approval delays still constrain household and commercial installations.
Business
Plantation Companies Plan Palm Oil Investments as Expert Panel Backs Ban Lift
Regional Plantation Companies plan palm oil investments after a 13-member expert panel found no environmental or health basis for Sri Lanka's seven-year ban.
Business
Rupee Falls Below 320 to Dollar as Inflation Returns to CBSL 5% Target
Sri Lanka's rupee closed at 319.75/320.00 to the US dollar on Thursday as April inflation hit the Central Bank's 5% mid-point target.
Business
Seylan Bank Q1 2026 Profit After Tax Rises 5.25% to Rs. 2.91 Billion
Seylan Bank reported a Q1 2026 profit after tax of Rs. 2.91 billion, up 5.25% year-on-year, with assets growing from Rs. 785 billion to Rs. 943 billion.
Business
Sri Lanka adds 17,081 active credit cards in February 2026
Active credit cards reach 2,193,380 as economic recovery and lower interest rates lift card usage; analysts flag possible slowdown from fuel rationing.
Business
Inflation jumps to 5.4% in April after 35% fuel price hike
Colombo CCPI surged from 2.2% in March to 5.4% in April, hitting the Central Bank's upper target as transport and energy costs spiked.
Business
Cabinet Approves Tabling of Central Bank Data Collection Rules in Parliament
Cabinet has approved submitting new CBSL rules formalising the bank's statistics powers and penalties for non-compliance, gazetted under the 2023 CBSL Act.
Business
CICT sets single-vessel record at 15,113 TEUs with MSC INGY call
Colombo International Container Terminals handled 10,407 moves on the MSC INGY, equivalent to 15,113 TEUs, beating its single-vessel handling record.
Business
CSE Closes Up as JXG Leads Turnover on Debut, Rupee Slips
ASPI rose 0.07% to 22,635 on Wednesday with Janashakthi Limited (JXG) up 37% on listing, while the rupee weakened to 319.75/320.60 against the dollar.
Business
Ceylon Tobacco Company Names Sarmad Abbasi MD and CEO Effective May 1
BAT veteran Sarmad Abbasi takes over from Fariyha Subhani as Managing Director and CEO of Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC from 1 May 2026.
Business
Sri Lanka Customs Beats April Revenue Target for Fourth Month Running
Sri Lanka Customs collected Rs. 186.5 billion in the first 27 days of April, exceeding its monthly target of Rs. 181.3 billion.
Business
Customs RTF Seizes 6.5 Tonnes of Turmeric Hidden in Gypsum Imports from India
Sri Lanka Customs detected 2,580kg of turmeric powder and 3,950kg of dried turmeric fingers concealed inside a gypsum plaster shipment from India.
Business
Emerald Acquires Hela Factories and Buys UK Focus Brands Unit for $8 Million
Emerald Investments acquired Hela's Thihariya and Palapathwala factories and UK subsidiary Focus Brands for $8 million, completing Hela's exit.
Business
FAO launches $300,000 e-voucher scheme for Cyclone Ditwah-hit paddy farmers
FAO will give 3,489 paddy farmers in Anuradhapura digital fertilizer e-vouchers worth $300,000 to recover production hit by Cyclone Ditwah ahead of Yala.
Business
LB Finance secures $15m senior debt facility from Switzerland-based Enabling Qapital
LB Finance raised $15 million in senior debt from Swiss impact manager Enabling Qapital via the EMF Microfinance Fund for MSME lending.
Business
Train Canteen Vendor Fined Rs. 100,000 for Selling Water Above MRP
A canteen vendor on the Colombo–Batticaloa 'Meenagaya' train was fined Rs. 100,000 for selling 1,000ml water bottles at Rs. 160 instead of the Rs. 100 MRP.
Business
NDB Independent Director Shanil Fernando Resigns from Board
Virtusa co-founder Shanil Fernando has resigned as NDB Independent Non-Executive Director effective April 27, four months after joining the board.
Business
Prima raises wheat flour by Rs. 5 to Rs. 225 per kg, citing fuel costs
Prima Ceylon raised wheat flour by Rs. 5 to Rs. 225 per kg from April 29 over higher transport costs; bakery owners say bread prices will hold.
Business
PUCSL Opens Public Consultation on Tariff Revision; 95% of Households Exempt, Final Decision May 9
PUCSL has invited written and oral submissions until May 6 on the NSO's revised Q2–Q3 cost estimate, with final tariffs to be announced May 9.
Business
Singer Sri Lanka Buys ACME Printing Factory in Piliyandala for Rs. 630 Million
Singer (Sri Lanka) signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire ACME Printing and Packaging's Piliyandala factory for Rs. 630 million, the company said.
Business
ADB Team in Colombo to Review National Export Development Plan 2026–2030
An ADB delegation met EDB officials on Cabinet approval, Phase 2 technical assistance and a steering committee for the 2026–2030 export plan.